How to Hold A Banjo: Blueprints of Clawhammer Banjo Part 1
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- Опубликовано: 2 май 2020
- Are you having a hard time feeling comfortable with a banjo in your lap? This video talks about my method of enveloping the instrument so that it is stable, feels comfortable and doesn't budge.
This is the first installment of "Blueprints of Clawhammer Banjo", a series I've created to focus on the fundamentals of clawhammer banjo. Only a part of the series will be made public. If you're interested in the totality of the series, please consider joining my Patreon campaign: www.patreon.com/tomcollins
This video would not be possible without the support of my generous Patrons. 
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I have seen a few of Tom's banjo videos and I was impressed with each one of them. There is professionalism in each element of his videos. The audio quality, the video, the composition, the delivery of the speech, and most importantly the content (i.e the lesson). I was struggling a couple of months ago with banjo holding and I wish the video was available then. I saw a few videos and advice but was not convinced. Since then, I sort of figured it out on my own. I am glad that Tom went ahead and covered this gap. The goal as he described is absolutely the key point.
Naushad, thank you so very much for these kind words. I've put a lot of time and thought into production values, and I'm glad folks appreciate that element of what I do. I'm glad you're finding these videos helpful. I wish you much joy and good fortune on your banjo quest!
Thank you for doing this. I am looking forward to your lessons.
Great video, and really good information.
Get the basics right and the rest will follow. Excellent advice. Thanks.
Very thorough, professional and helpful instruction. Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks Tom!
Thank you
Wahou, I feel so integrated to my instrument with your advices, thanks a lot !
Happy to hear that! Thanks for watching!
I just got a banjo for the first time. I'm a total beginner with any string musical instrument. I will follow along and see how far I can get. Thanks for giving this nice starting point. :)
Excellent! Welcome to the world of the banjo. Slow, steady practice wins the day. Best, Tom
Been on the banjo journey a little while and after watching this video, I realized I was fussing with banjo stability a lot, perhaps relying on the strap too much. Thanks for breaking it down! Will try out your tips.
Thank you.
I find that a banjo strap helps stabilize my banjo quite a bit too.
Hi Tom, great instruction. Question. While I am learning should I remove the resonator from my banjo to make it lighter and easier to work with or learn it as it is?
Hey 2BFishn, I'm not sure that's necessary. If it's easy to pop on and off, you might want to experiment with it off just for tone purposes. Plenty of folks learn from day 1 with the resonator on, so don't worry about that. Best, Tom
@@FretlessFury Appreciate the response
Is that the Ome armrest?
It looks thinner.
I like it.
Yes! The Ome armrests are amazing. Highly recommended!
Thank you for this, very clear. A question on behalf of the ladies... do I have to wear a special banjo / sports bra to keep my chest out of the way? I'm being serious, I'm having great difficulty finding a secure hold for my (brand new!) instrument because my body just gets in the way :( Are there any larger female banjo players that I can watch to see how they manage the banjo hold?
SUCH a great question! Everyone is shaped differently, so the take home from this video is to put in place the following things: good "fulcrum" contact, lap/leg contact with the bottom of the pot, then lean the banjo pot into your torso for a third point of positive contact. This third step sounds like where you are having trouble, so I'd encourage you to move that banjo around until it feels reasonable. Having taught many, many women to play over the years, I'm not aware of any of them having to wear any special clothing to play the instrument...though it's not something I'd ever ask about either!!! I'm hoping some of the incredible female banjo players who subscribe to this channel will chime in with advice. Are you a member of my Patreon campaign? If so, our Discord community is filled with warrior women banjo players who could give you some helpful tips! I hope this helps in some small way!
My banjo is too heavy for this hold. I have to raise my left leg and even then it still slides
Donna, have you tried using a strap? For some people, and banjos, it ends up being the best solution. Good luck! Tom
So, what about if I am a fat guy (and I am)?
Hey Nicholas! Great question. I've taught folks with all kinds of different body types, and recognize that one size definitely does not fit all. For folks who carry some girth, you might need to lean back and rest the instrument on the belly more than I do (versus over it in my "fighting stance"). I still advocate using your forearm as a point of positive contact on the instrument. Without seeing how you currently hold, it is hard to advise. Try putting as many elements as you see in my video into your own banjo-hold, and leave out the stuff that doesn't work for your shape. Let me know how it goes!
😊
Thank you
You're welcome! Best, Tom
@@FretlessFury After watching this video, I was able to latch on to the banjo and really get into it. Check it out at my channel if ya want.